Introduction
Background
The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on the island from South America in about 1000, were largely enslaved by the Spanish early in the 16th century and forcibly relocated to other colonies where labor was needed. Curacao was seized by the Dutch from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
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Geography
Location
Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates
12 10 N, 69 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area - comparative
more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
364 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
Terrain
generally low, hilly terrain
Elevation
highest point: Mt. Christoffel 372 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs
Land use
agricultural land: 10% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10% (2018)
other: 90% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest
Natural hazards
Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Geography - note
Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group in the Lesser Antilles
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Curacaoan
adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
Ethnic groups
Curacaoan 75.4%, Dutch 6%, Dominican 3.6%, Colombian 3%, Bonairean, Sint Eustatian, Saban 1.5%, Haitian 1.2%, Surinamese 1.2%, Venezuelan 1.1%, Aruban 1.1%, other 5%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
Languages
Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
note: data represent most spoken language in household
Religions
Roman Catholic 72.8%, Pentecostal 6.6%, Protestant 3.2%, Adventist 3%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, Evangelical 1.9%, other 3.8%, none 6%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 19.68% (male 15,227/female 14,553)
15-24 years: 13.38% (male 10,438/female 9,806)
25-54 years: 36.55% (male 27,733/female 27,589)
55-64 years: 13.88% (male 9,130/female 11,873)
65 years and over: 16.52% (male 10,127/female 14,869) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 55.9
youth dependency ratio: 28.3
elderly dependency ratio: 27.5
potential support ratio: 3.6 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 36.7 years
male: 34.4 years
female: 39.5 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest
Urbanization
urban population: 89.1% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 8.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.19 years
male: 76.85 years
female: 81.65 years (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: 100% of population
unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total: 100% of population
unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 18 years (2013)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 29.3%
male: 25.4%
female: 34.5% (2018 est.)
Environment
Environment - current issues
problems in waste management that threaten environmental sustainability on the island include pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff, the mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; the refinery in Sint Anna Bay, at the eastern edge of Willemstad’s large natural harbor, processes heavy crude oil from Venezuela; it has caused significant environmental damage to the surrounding area because of neglect and a lack of strict environmental controls; the release of noxious fumes and potentially hazardous particles causes schools downwind to regularly close
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 5.39 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
Land use
agricultural land: 10% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10% (2018)
other: 90% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 89.1% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 24,704 tons (2013 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 494 tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 2% (2013 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Country of Curacao
conventional short form: Curacao
local long form: Land Curacao (Dutch); Pais Korsou (Papiamento)
local short form: Curacao (Dutch); Korsou (Papiamento)
former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies
etymology: the most plausible name derivation is that the island was designated Isla de la Curacion (Spanish meaning "Island of the Cure" or "Island of Healing") or Ilha da Curacao (Portuguese meaning the same) to reflect the locale's function as a recovery stop for sick crewmen
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Dependency status
constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Capital
name: Willemstad
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after Prince William II of Orange (1626-1650), who served as stadtholder (Dutch head of state) from 1647 to 1650, shortly after the the Dutch captured Curacao from the Spanish in 1634
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: Curacao is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten
Independence
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday
King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday
Constitution
history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 5 September 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Curacao but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - in October 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law
Citizenship
see the Netherlands
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Lucille A. GEORGE-WOUT (since 4 November 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Gilmar PISAS (since 14 June 2021)
cabinet: Cabinet sworn-in by the governor
elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually elected prime minister by the Parliament of Curacao; next election scheduled for 2016
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament of Curacao (21 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 19 March 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
election results: percent of vote by party - MFK 28.1%, PAR 14.1%, PNP 12.6%, MAN 6.5%, KEM 5.4%, TPK 5.3%; seats by party - MFK 9, PAR 4, PNP 4, MAN 2, KEM 1, TPK 1; composition -
Judicial branch
highest courts: Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court, in The Hague, Netherlands
judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch for life
subordinate courts: first instance courts, appeals court; specialized courts
Political parties and leaders
Korsou di Nos Tur or KdnT [Amparo dos SANTOS]
Korsou Esun Miho or KEM [Michelangelo MARTINES]
Mayors for Liberec Region (Starostove pro Liberecky Kraj) or SLK [Martin PUTA]
Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gerrit SCHOTTE]
Movementu Progresivo or MP [Marylin MOSES]
Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN [Hensley KOEIMAN]
Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Eugene RHUGGENAATH]
Partido Inovashon Nashonal or PIN [Suzanne CAMELIA-ROMER]
Partido pa Adelanto I Inovashon Soshal or PAIS [Alex ROSARIA]
Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP [Humphrey DAVELAAR]
Pueblo Soberano or PS
Trabou pa Kòrsou or TPK [Rennox CALMES]
Un Korsou Hustu [Omayra LEEFLANG]
International organization participation
Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, ITU, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul General Allen GREENBERG (since June 2019); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten
embassy: P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1
mailing address: 3160 Curacao Place, Washington DC 20521-3160
telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489
email address and website:
ACSCuracao@state.gov
https://cw.usconsulate.gov/
Flag description
on a blue field a horizontal yellow band somewhat below the center divides the flag into proportions of 5:1:2; two five-pointed white stars - the smaller above and to the left of the larger - appear in the canton; the blue of the upper and lower sections symbolizes the sky and sea respectively; yellow represents the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited smaller sister island of Klein Curacao; the five star points signify the five continents from which Curacao's people derive
National symbol(s)
laraha (citrus tree); national colors: blue, yellow, white
National anthem
name: Himmo di Korsou (Anthem of Curacao)
lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA
note: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to make them less colonial in nature
Economy
Economic overview
Most of Curacao's GDP results from services. Tourism, petroleum refining and bunkering, offshore finance, and transportation and communications are the mainstays of this small island economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Curacao has limited natural resources, poor soil, and inadequate water supplies, and budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and education systems. Although GDP grew only slightly during the past decade, Curacao enjoys a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared to other countries in the region.
Curacao has an excellent natural harbor that can accommodate large oil tankers, and the port of Willemstad hosts a free trade zone and a dry dock. Venezuelan state-owned oil company PdVSA, under a contract in effect until 2019, leases the single refinery on the island from the government, directly employing some 1,000 people. Most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela and most of the refined products are exported to the US and Asia. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Venezuela being the major suppliers.
The government is attempting to diversify its industry and trade. Curacao is an Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) of the European Union. Nationals of Curacao are citizens of the European Union, even though it is not a member. Based on its OCT status, products that originate in Curacao have preferential access to the EU and are exempt from import duties. Curacao is a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Initiative and, as a result, products originating in Curacao can be imported tax free into the US if at least 35% has been added to the value of these products in Curacao. The island has state-of-the-art information and communication technology connectivity with the rest of the world, including a Tier IV datacenter. With several direct satellite and submarine optic fiber cables, Curacao has one of the best Internet speeds and reliability in the Western Hemisphere.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.86 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$3.99 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
$4.08 billion (2017 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
3.6% (2012 est.)
2% (2011 est.)
0.1% (2010 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$24,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$25,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
$25,475 (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$5.6 billion (2012 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.6% (2013 est.)
2.8% (2012 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.7% (2012 est.)
industry: 15.5% (2012 est.)
services: 83.8% (2012 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 66.9% (2016 est.)
government consumption: 33.6% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.4% (2016 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services: 17.5% (2016 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.5% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products
aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Industries
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 16.9%
services: 81.8% (2008 est.)
Current account balance
-$400 million (2011 est.)
-$600 million (2010 est.)
Exports
$1.77 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$1.93 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - partners
Switzerland 27%, United States 17%, Spain 14%, Ecuador 7%, India 7%, Antigua and Barbuda 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
gold, precious metal scraps, petroleum coke, frozen fish, coal tar oil (2019)
Imports
$2.33 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$2.75 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - partners
United States 35%, Netherlands 24%, China 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, perfumes (2019)
Exchange rates
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
1.79 (2017 est.)
1.79 (2016 est.)
1.79 (2015 est.)
1.79 (2014 est.)
1.79 (2013 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 29.3%
male: 25.4%
female: 34.5% (2018 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Refined petroleum products - production
189,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53Refined petroleum products - consumption
70,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 53,500 (2019)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32.74 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 184,236 (2019)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112.7 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: fully automatic modern telecommunications system; telecom sector across the Caribbean region continues to be one of the growth areas; given the lack of economic diversity in the region, with a high dependence on tourism and activities such as fisheries and offshore financial services the telecom sector contributes greatly to the GDP (2020)
domestic: 39 per 100 users for fixed-line and 116 per 100 users for cellular-mobile, majority of the islanders have Internet; market revenue has been affected in recent quarters as a result of competition and regulatory measures on termination rates and roaming tariffs (2020)
international: country code - +599, PCCS submarine cable system to US, Caribbean and Central and South America (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019)
Internet users
total: 112,000 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 68.13% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 53,297 (2019)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32.61 (2019 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2019)
Merchant marine
total: 63
by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 1, other 56 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Willemstad
oil terminal(s): Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal)
bulk cargo port(s): Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Curaçao Militia (CURMIL) (2021)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in persons
current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Curacao; undocumented migrants, including the growing population of Venezuelans, are vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking; Curacaoan and foreign women and girls, mostly Dominican and Venezuelan, are exploited in sex trafficking; migrants from other Caribbean countries, South America, China, and India are subject to forced labor in construction, domestic servitude, landscaping, minimarkets, retail, and restaurants
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Curacao does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but it is making significant efforts to do so; the government prosecuted and convicted more traffickers than in the previous reporting period; however, authorities identified fewer victims, and assistance to victims was contingent upon their cooperation with law enforcement in prosecuting traffickers; victims who were in the country illegally, including Venezuelans, were at risk of deportation if they did not participate in trials against their traffickers; the government did not operate centers for trafficking victims but provided some funding to NGOs and international organizations to care for victims (2020)
Illicit drugs
northbound transshipment points for cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela; cocaine is transported to the United States, other Caribbean islands, Africa, and Europe